Dirigible airship



Aug. 20, 1946.

' N. H. NELSON DIRIGIBLE AIRSHIP Filed Feb. 22, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet l Nels R Nelson flAug. 20, 1946. N. H. NELSON v 2,406,302 I DIRT GIBLEAIRSi-IIP Filed Feb. 22, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nals H. Nelson Aug. 20,1946. -.N. H. NELSON 2, 0 ,3

DiRiGIBLE AIRSHIP I 7 Filed Feb. 22, 1943 4 sheets-sheets wen/KW ls H.Nelson,

1946- v N. H. NELSON I 2,406,302

DIRIGIBLE AIRSHIP Filed Feb. 22, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Nels H.Ne1sor Patented Aug. 20, 1946 UNITED: STATES PATENT OFFICE- DIRIGIBLE AIRSHIP Nels H. Nelson, Minneapolis, Minn. Application February 22, 1943, Serial No. 476,697

My invention relates to improvements in dirigible airships and particularly to balloon structures in such craft, an object of the invention being to provide a rigid balloon structure for relatively large dirigible airships and one which is of great strength and durability, relatively light and relatively inexpensive in construc- 7 Claims. (01. 244 -30) bags of substantial capacity for lending buoyancy to the structure.

An additional object of the invention is to supplement such tubular elements of the main frame of a balloon structure with channel-like reinforcing members elfectively arranged and trussed in enhancement of rigidity in the structure.

Other objects of the invention reside in the novel combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter illustrated and/or described.

" In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a dirigible airship of the rigid type constituting a form of my present invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional View taken as on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged view partly in elevation and partly in section, particularly illustrating the forward portion of the balloon structure shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a plan view in detail of the structure shown in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view taken as on the line 8-6 of Fig. 5, and Fig. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view in detail taken across the axis of the balloon structure and showing a method by which radial par-v titioning screens may be attached to each other within the bays between the main transverse frames of said structure.

Reference being had to the accompanying drawings inwhich similar reference characters are employed to designate similar parts throughout the several views, it will be seen that the craft shown as illustrative of the present invention includes an elongated balloon structure A and an underslung body B extending along the lower side of said balloon structure. The balloon structure is fitted with elevating rudders ID and with fore and aft steering rudder H, H. Forwardly of the airship are front wheels l3 and rearwardly r 2 thereof are castering wheels 14 for supporting the craft on land; The balloon A is of relatively greatcapacity for'supporting the relatively commo'dious body B,'which comprises a three story structure, as shown, having doors l5 and windows It in the rwalls'thereof.

The balloon'structure A is of elongated'formation, being generally cigar-shaped and, lending form and rigidity thereto, is a framework having a main frame of tubular'members of relatively great cross-sectional area, said main frame consisting of a plurality of longitudinal girders C and a plurality of transverse frames D. a

The transverse frames D are distributed along the length of'the balloon and each thereof comprises an annulus made up of an assembly of quadrantal reaches H, a diametral pillar d made up of vertically disposed reaches l8 and a diamam rail 11' made up of horizontally disposed reaches l9.

In each main transverse frame D, the reaches 1 18 of the pillar d and the reaches 19 of the rail d are welded together at their inner ends axially of the balloon. Adjacent ends of the quadrantal reaches l1 are disposed at the ridge, keel and the opposite sides of the balloon, where they are welded together and to the upper and lower ends of the pillar reaches I 8 and the outer ends of the rail reaches VH) and to the adjacent ends of the main girder reaches 20; Thus, the .main longitudinal girders C and the main transverse frames D constitute a rigid and sturdy main frame for the balloon structure.

Each of said tubular reaches l1, l8, I9, 20 of said main frame consists of semi-cylindricalbody portions of suitable sheet metal; each portion having outwardly extending flanges 2| along either side thereof, the mating flanges of said semi-cylindrical body portions being welded together to complete the tubular reach and strengthen the same. Said tubular reaches of said main frame are preferably lightened in weight by the formation therein of elongated openings 22 extending lengthwise of said reaches instaggered'relationship, the sheet material of said tubular reaches at the margins of said openingsbeing beaded outwardly, as at 23, for reinforcing purposes. 7

Between the main transverse frames D are a number of intermediate transverse frames E, each thereof consisting of an annulus made up of outwardly opening quadrantal channels 24 secured at their ends to the reaches 26 of the main longitudinal girders C at the ridge, keel and opposite sides of the balloon.

The flanges 2| on the reaches of the ridge and keel girders C lie in a vertical plane axially of the balloon A and the flanges 2| on the reaches 20 of the side girders C lie in a horizontal plane also axially of the balloon. The outermost of said flanges 2| are employed in attaching the quadrantal channels 24 of the intermediate transverse frames E to the main longitudinal girders beams-F. The webs of said 1 blocks 31, it is to benoted that said blocks effectively reinforce said tie-beams F and the channels 24 of the intermediate transverse frames E,

respectively.

C, the ends of said channels 24, if desired,. being' welded directly to said main girders proper and to the flanges 2| thereon, as well. Preferably, however, attaching brackets e (Figs, 4 and 5) will be used in attaching said quadrantal channels 24 to'said main girders C. These brackets e, supplied in pairs for each end of each channel 24 will each consist of an arcuate body 25 conforming with the transverse curvature of the main girder and will be welded to said girder proper. An attaching flange 26 formed integrally with or welded to said body 25 will be welded to the corresponding flange 2| of the main girder C, whil a plate 21 also formed integrally with or welded to said arcuate body 25 will be welded to the corresponding side of the channel 24. Thisplate 27, preferably, will be braced at its outer extremity relative to the arcuate body 25 by means of a flange 28 integral with or welded to said plate 21 and'said body 25. Said quadrantal channels 24 of the intermediate transverse frames E are reduced in weight by the formation of lightening openings 29 in the sides thereof, the strength of said channels being preserved by beading the sides thereof about said openings, as at 3|]. Further strengthening said channels 24 are beads 3| formed along the'outer V Enveloping the framework of the balloon is a outer envelope or skin 40 of suitable material, the

and also stretched over and weldedto the outer beaded edges 3i of the channels 24 of'the intermediate transverse frames E. and the beaded edges 33 of the tie-beams F between said. channels 24. Inner lining strips '42 of wire mesh fill the circumferential spaces between the relatively adjacent quadrantal channels 24 of the intermediate transverse frames E and the similar spaces between the outer flanges 2| on the quadrantalreaches ll of the main transverse frames D and the channels 24 of the intermediate transverse. frames E adjacent thereto. These lining strips 42 are backed against the tie-beams F and welded thereto across the same and said lining strips 42 are also welded along their edges to the sides of said channels 24 of the intermediate transverse frames E, said channels 24Yso permitting by reason of the depth thereof which is subedges of the sides thereof by rolling said sides 7 upon themselves.

Said quadrantal channels 24 of the intermediate transverse frames E are tied together between the main longitudinal girders C through outwardly opening channel-shaped tie-beams F rial thereof along their outer edges, and still further strengthening said tie-beams F, are trussrods 34. The tie-beams F, in different series thereof, are relatively aligned, each series, in effect, constituting an intermediate longitudinal girder. Each channel-like tie-beam F contains a truss rod 34 which bears intermediately thereof against the inner end of a truss-block 35 located within the channel of the tie-beam and welded to the sides thereof. This truss rod 34 is caught atone end in anreye-bolt 36, anchored 'in an anchoring block 31 in a channel 24 of one intermediate transverse frame E, the other end of said truss rod 34 being caught in aneye-bolt 36 anchored in a channel 24 of an adjacent intermediate transvers frame E; The truss-blocks 35 are I-shaped in transverse cross-section, the

heads thereof being weldedztothe sides of the stantially greater than that of the tie-beams F.

The bays between the main transverse vframes D are divided intosegmental compartments for correspondingly shaped gas bags 43 employed within the balloon structure A, there being four such bag compartments to each .bay. The ends of these compartments consist of partitioning screens 44 applied to the main transverse frames D in each of which one of said partitioning screens 44 spans one of the four segmental openings between one of the quadrantal reaches I1 and the adjacent reaches l3, I9 of pillar d and rail 12', respectively. Each segmental partitioning screen 44 is welded along one of its straight edges to a fin 45 which, in turn, is welded to a reach iii-of apillar d. The other straight edge of such partitioning screen 44 is welded to a corresponding flange 2| of the corresponding reach I9 of a rail d, while the curved edge of such screen ative to the pillars d and beams d- ,for the purpose of bracing and strengthening the main transverse frames D.;

Supplementing'the end partitioning screens andthe ,circumferentially disposed wiremesh lintruss-blocks35 traverse the channels of the tie-beams F and are me- 7 The anchoring blocks ing strips 42 to complete the segmental gas bag compartments in each bay between the main transverse frames D, I provide radially disposed partitioning screens, viz., upper and lower screens 46, which lie in the vertical plane of the flanges 2| of the pillars d and the flanges 2| of the ridge and keel girders C, and right and left screens 41, which lie in the horizontal plane of the flanges 2| on the main longitudinal side girders C. The upper edge of each upper radial screen 46 is welded to the depending flange 2| of the ridge girder C and the lower edge of the lower radial screen 46 is welded to the upstand ing flange 2| of the keel girder C, The edges of both upper and lower partitioning screens 46, at the ends thereof, are welded to the flanges 2| of adjacent pillars d, such flanges 2| being available for such attachment thereto of said screens 46 by reason of the disposition of said flanges 2| in a vertical plane axially of the balloon structure A. The right and left radial partitioning screens 41 are welded along their outer edges to the inwardly extending flanges 2| of their respective side girders C, and are welded along their edges at the ends thereof to fins 48 which are, in turn, welded to the beam :1 of the main transverse frames D.' The innermost portions of the vertical screens 46 and the horizontal screens 41 are suitably secured together along the axis of the balloon structure, as through the medium of a cleat 49 (Fig. 7) cross-shaped in cross-section, to the four flanges of which the inner edges of said vertical and horizontal screens 46, 41 are welded. Preferably, after the fashion of the end partitioning screens 44, the wires of the vertical partitioning screens 46 will be biased in their extent relative to the ridge and keel girders C and to the pillars d, while the horizontal partitioning screens 41 will be biased relative to the side girders C and the beams d. This dispositioning of the wires in the radial partitioning screens 46, 41, as in the end partitioning screens 44, serves appreciably to strengthen the main frame of the balloon.

Further strengthening the main frame are bracing and counter-bracing wires or cables 56, there being two or more of such cables in each bay of the balloon structure, except the two extreme bays, fore and aft. These bracing and counter-bracing cables 50 cross each other in biased relationship substantially in the vertical plane of the partitioning screens 46 and thus lie between the gas bags 43 at either side of the balloon, suitable openings being provided in the inner margins of the horizontal partitioning screens 41 to accommodate said cables 56. These wires or cables 50 for bracing and counter-bracing the main frame of the balloon structure, are attached at their ends to anchoring brackets 5| embracing and welded to the upper and lower portions of the pillars d in the main transverse frames D.

An important feature of the present invention resides in supplying main longitudinal girders and main transverse frames not only of tubular construction, but also of such construction in which the cross sectional dimensions of the tubular reaches are relatively oversized. This construction makes for great strength and rigidity in the balloon structure and it affords space within th tubular reaches of the main frame for auxiliary or secondary gas bags of substantial capacity, whereby virtually no loss of gas bag space is sacrificed in the attainment of the relatively great strength in the framework of the balloon. At intervals along, the interior ofthe tubular reaches 2|] of the main longitudinal girders C, and along the reaches I8, l9 of the pillars d and rails 41' of the main transverse frames D, and along the quadrantal reaches I1 of said main transverse frames D, are disc-like partitioning Webs 52, each welded circumferentially thereof to the semi-cylindrical body portions of its respective reach. These webs 52 serve a double function, one thereof being to reinforce the various reaches of the main frame and the other being to provide partitions within said tubular reaches forming ends to compartments 53 therein for th reception of secondary gas bags 54. Such gas bags 54 disposed within said compartments 53 contribute appreciably to the buoying power of the balloon structure, as will be readily appreciated. To minimize the weight of said partitioning and reinforcing webs 52, I form the same with lightening openings 55 therein.

The body B of the airship will be constructed generally in a manner suiting it to the particular needs thereof, but will include a master or upper floor, as at 56, together with another or other floors suspended therefrom, such for example as th intermediate and lower floors 51, 58 shown in Fig. 2. Said master floor 56 of the ships body B is, in part, suspended from the keel girder C of the balloon structure A by means of yoke-like hanger straps 59 straddling the reaches 20 of said keel girder C, said hanger straps 59 being welded intermediately thereof to said reaches 20 and the branches of said straps being suitably secured at their extremities to said master floor 56. Through side walls 66, rising from the master floor 56, said master flooris further supported by the main frame of the balloon structure by means of hanger straps 6| at their lower ends to said walls 69 and welded at their upper ends to anchoring plates 62 conforming with the'transverse and longitudinal curvature of and welded to the lowermost tubular reaches H of the main transverse frames D. Preferably, said anchoring plates 62 will register with correspondingly disposed partitioning webs 52 so that each anchoring plate 62 will be welded to its respective tubular reach |1 directly over the edge of its respective web 52, whereby weight of the ships body B applied to a tubular reach l1 of a main transverse frame D will be distributed thereover at a reinforced locality thereof. Likewise the hanger straps 59 of the tubular reaches 26 of the keel girder C will register with the reinforcing and partitioning webs reaches.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that I have provided an airship of relatively simple, durabl and inexpensive construction, and that the rigidly sturdy balloon structure employed makes available within its envelope substantially the entire space therein for the reception of gas bags. 7

Changes in the specific form of my invention, as herein described, may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1, An airship, an elongated balloon structure having a framework including tubular reaches, each consisting of a pair of mating semi-cylindrical members formed from sheet material with outwardly extending flanges along their longitudinal edges, said flanges being welded together to unite the mating members, said reaches being 52 within said girder" saddled upon and, in turn, Welded to said tubular girder reaches proper and to the outwardly extending flanges thereof, the outer edges of said u w y x en i flan s and he ut edges of said channel reaches providing bearing surf c s n a c n o e in an su ac s,

'2. In an airship, an elongated halloonstructure, an elongated bedy underslung therefrom and extending therealong, said structure having a covered framework including main longitudinal e s d m n ansver e f ames mad JP of tubular reaches of relatively great cross-sectional area welded together, said reaches having spaced transverse partitions therein reinforcing the same and dividing them into compartments, gas bags contained within said compartments, and hangers for said bodysecured to certain of said reaches at localities thereon contiguous to said partitions. j

3. In an airship, anelongated balloon structure having a covered framework including a main frame of longitudinal girders and-trana verse frames both made up of tubular reaches, the transverse frames being distributed along the length of the balloon structure and defining bays therein, each transverse frame comprising radially disposed reaches welded together axially of the balloon structure and further comprising reaches disposed end-to-end in the form of an annulus and welded together at their adjacent ends and to the outer ends of said radial reaches and to adjacent ends of adjacent reaches of said longitudinal girders partitioning screens of wire mesh dividing each of said bays into segmental compartments, flanges on said tubular reaches, there being such flanges for each pan.

."frame. I

4. In an airship, an elongated balloon structure shaving a covered framework including longitudinal girders and transverse frames both made up of tubular reaches, each consisting ofa pair of mating semi-cylindrical members formed from sheet material with outwardly extendin flanges alongtheir longitudinal edges, said flanges being welded together to unite the mating members,

saidtransverse frames being distributed along the length of the balloon structure and defining bays therein, each transverse fram comprising radially disposed reaches welded together axially of the balloon structure and further comprising curved reaches disposed end-to-end in the form of an annulus and welded together at their ad- 5. In an airship, an elongated ballon structure having a framework including outwardly opening channel-like transverse frames of sheet material, outwardly opening channel-like tie-beams of sheet material secured at their ends to the transverse frames, truss rods, one for each tie-beam, each truss rod extending along its respective tie,- beam within the'same, each tie beam having a truss block therein intermediate its ends for its respective truss rod, anchoring blocks for the ends of each truss rod, said anchoring blocks being located within contiguous transverse frames, the truss blocks and anchoring blocks being secured to the sides of said tie-beams and transverse frames, respectively, and reinforcing the same.

6. In an airship, a-balloon structure having a framework including transverse frames formed from'sheet material and being of outwardly opening channel-like formation, outwardly opening channel tie-beams formed from sheet material and secured at their ends to the transverse frames, said transverse frames. and tie-beams being beaded along their outer edges and thereby reinforced, 'a foundation screen overlying said transverse frames and tiebeams, and a covering overlying said foundation screen. 7 v g 7. In an airship, an elongated balloon structure having a framework formed from sheet material and including reaches secured together to provide longitudinal girders, said framework also including reaches anchored to the girders and providing transverse frames, said framework fur,- ther including tie-beams reaches of said transverse frames, an outer covering enveloping said framework and supported by said girders, transverse frames and tie-beams, gas bags within aidframework, and liner-screens mounted on said tie-beams, inwardly thereof and between the reachesof said transverse frames, providing outer confines'forsaid gas bags.

' NELS H. NELSON.

between adjacent 

